Tractor



F. H. SNYDER TRACTOR Filed Feb. 10, 1951 Aug. 22, 1933.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m1; ATTORNEY F. H. SNYDER TRACTOR Filed Feb. 10, 1931 Aug. 22, 1933.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 \Mii INVENTOR his ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 22, 1933 Frederick H. Snyder,

Churchville, N. Y.

Application February 10, 1931. Serial No. 514,780 I 7 Claims. 01. 180-145) The present invention relates to tractors and more particularly to the type equipped with an auxiliary means for effecting the opening of the clutch between the motor and the traction wheels when the implement drawn by the tractor strikes an obstruction which will cause breakage or damage to some partof the tractor or the implement drawn by the tractor.

An object of this invention is to provide in adauxiliary clutch operating mechanism which. is operated by a spring, controlled by the draft means of the vehicle. Another object of the invention is to provide for storing energy in the through the main clutch operating means. Still another object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary clutch operating mechanism designed for use on that type of tractor in which the main clutch operating mechanism embodies a push bar and a foot lever having pivotal connection with the push bar. A still further object of the invention is to provide a draft clutch operating mechanism which will be of compact form, simple in operation and durable in use.

To these and other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts all of which will be hereinafter described: the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a commercial tractor equipped with one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the auxiliary clutch operating mechanism, partly in section, showing in dotted lines, the foot lever of the main clutch operating means in neutral position and in full lines the footlever partially depressed.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the tractor showing the position of the lock-01f device for the auxiliary clutch operating means; i I

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of the lock-oif device;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the tractor showing the .auxiliary clutch operating means fully depressed with energy stored in'the spring;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6, Fig. 5;

and r tion, 1 indicates a tractor of known commercial construction having. a rock shaft 2 through which dition to the usual clutch operating means an sliding movement on the rod 4. 0n the rod 4 is a Fig. "7 is a detail view of the draft means;

the clutch (not shown) is operated. This shaft carries an arm 3 towhich a push rod or bar 4 is pivoted, said bar being pivotally connected at;4

to a foot lever 5, which at its lower end; is pivoted at 6 to, the tractor, and has a pedal 7 at its upper end. A spring 8 secured at 9 to the rod 4 and-to one of four bolts v10 serves to move the clutch rod 4 in a rearward direction to hold the I clutch closed. The bolts 10 serve to secure a disk or plate 11 over a hand opening in the side of the tractor frame. All of these parts are present in the commercial tractor. These bolts also serve to fixedly secure in place the following members,

to wit, members 19, 23, 24. and 26. spring of the auxiliary clutch operating means 1 A feature of this invention is the provision of a spring 12 which whenallowed to do so will shift the rod 4 in a forward direction to open the clutch. In this instancarthe springv 12 has a lost motion connection with the main clutch operating means, the latter of which comprises the rod 4 and the foot operated pedal 5, so that the main clutch operating 'meansmay may be operated to open the clutch-independently of the spring 12. The spring 12 which is anchored at one end at.13 to the tractor frame and has its other end connected, at 14 to one end of a double armed clutch operating lever 15 which has a loose pivotal .connection. at 16 with-thelower end of a twoarmed lever 17 which ispivoted at 18 to asupporting bar 19 secured by two of the bolts 10. The upper end of, the two armed lever 17, which lever 1'1 is sometimes referred to; as .an intermediate lever,.is ,pivotally connectedat 20 with a sleeve 21 which is fixed to the rod 4 and which is mounted for collar 22 which is fixed to therod 4 and which actsas an abutment for engagement by the movable sleeve 21 to shift the rod 4 in a forward direction to openthe clutch,-the rod being movable independently of thesleeve in a forward direction under the action of the foot lever 5 because of the lost motion connection provided by the collar 22 fixed to the rod 4 and the sleeve 21 mounted upon butslidable along the rod 4.

The two armed clutch operating lever 15 is guided between the two bars 23 and 24, secured, by the bolts 10, on the one hand and the plate 11 on the other. The lever 15 is notched so as to form an abutment 25 which is adapted to engage with a fixed pin or abutment 26 to hold the spring 12 with energy stored therein, as shown in Fig. 5. A spring 27, connected at 2 8 to one end of the lever 15 and at the other end to an arm or bar 29 which is secured by'two of the bolts no 10, serves to hold the clutch operating lever 15 auxiliary lever 30 lies in cooperative engagement with the adjacent or rear end of the clutch operating lever andprojects upwardly in front of the foot lever 5 of the main clutch operating means so as to be engaged by the latter during the final part of the forwardffmovenient ofthe latter to open the clutch. ,flIhus, when the foot lever 5 is moved forwardly thepivotedauxiliary 15, store energy again in the spring 12 and make the holding means effective.

- With the end in view of locking the auxiliary clutch operating means against operation, a lock-off device is provided which, in this instance, comprises a detent 42 which ispivoted at 43 to a plate 44 which is so situated that it will engage the lever when the latter is moved to store energy. in the spring .12 and hold the spring against action. This does not. interfere with the operation of the clutch through the foot lever 5.

What I claim as my invention and desire to ,iis'ecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a tractor, the combination with a clutch "operating means embodying a push bar and a foot f ,dever. pivotally connected to the push bar, of a spring having a pivotedlost motion connection 'with the push bar to move the latter to open the lever 30 of the clutch operating meansis moved-clutch. while permitting an independent moveforwardly, under the impetus given it during the -final part of the forward movement of the foot lever of the main clutch: operating 1 means and "this movement imparts a: forward sliding movement to the' clutch operating lever-15, the latter of whichsli'des forwardly on' the abutment 26 of I -the-bar 24 until the notch orabutment, or abutnientsection 25' engages with the fixed abutment or abutmentpin 26, whereby the clutch operating lever-'-15"is then locked'inplace and in a position zin' whichthe spring 12-willbehe1d by suchhold: ling: means in a set .or extended position'with en- "ergy storedtherein as fully shown in Fig. 5. The forward-movement of the clutch operating lever 15 imparts through the intermediate lever-1'7 a "rearward :movement of the lost motion sleeve member 21 along the bar orrod 4, to-wit, in a direction opposite :th'at'in' which the sleeve member--21 must moveto effect an opening of the clutch by. movementfof: .thelbar or rod.-4.

Release of the springactuated clutch.operating lever 15,1 to-wit; of the: auxiliary clutch operating means-that comprise said lever 15; may be efiected '-:by5:a releasing-means controlled by'laiiraft means throughswhich =animplementsuch as a plow is pulled by-the tractor. .xThedraft means, in this instance; comprises a 'draft-pin-32 having a slid ing movement in r a .pivoted draft head 33 resisted Ibya-spri'ng 34. :.An-.abutment,35 on the pin' is extended laterally from thelpin to engage with one :end 'of a lever 36 iwhich' is pivoted between its .endsatfifliand-has pivoted: theretoat' 38 a push bar '39, the forward endrof which is pivoted at :40 to onearrn' of a bellcranklever 41 pivoted to --ohe of" the pins'IO, the -'1-other-arm of the-bell crank-lever lying in-aiposition to engage the under side of the forward.- arm ofthe leverl'5.

..The'.spring"34..is so-idesigned that under normal conditions" it willyieldbixtslightly, but when the implement strikes an obstruction "such as a stone :or stub of a tre, the spring' yields so that'the' abut'ment 3-5 shifts the lever 36 to-push" the bar'39 io'rvv'ardly and cause the bellcrank lever 41 3 to sea-sen its pivot untilithe-free end thereof enagesthe out'er fendfof theleyer l5: further upjwa rd moveme'nti of the free'end of the bell crank 'l'ever'el willcause an upward movement of the -lever "15" onits'; pivotal endlandtherebyifdisengage fthenotch'25from thestationary pingor abutment i126, releasing the ,sp'r ing 12 and fpermitting. the

V 'sbeen-opened it stays ope untilthe foot lever ment of the clutch operating means to open the .clutch,:holding means'for holding thespring-with energy stored. therein; means connecting the spring with the .clutch' operating :means :to' :store :energy :in the spring, anddraft means operatively connected .to the holding'means to. release the i i springxto effect the movement of the: clutch operating means to open the clutch.

2. In a tractor, the combination :with a clutch operating means including :a pushbarand a foot lever having pivotal connection with the push operating. lever in a.direction to-store energy in the'spring, holding means for holdingsaid clutch operating leveriwithienergy stored in the spring, and draft means havingconnection with thelhold- .ing means. for. releasing said-clutch operating I lever to theaction' of 'thelspring. I ;--3. .In aetractor, the combination .Witha clutch roperating means embodyingaa' push bar-and a foot lever'having.'pivotal connection with the push bar, of 5 an auxiliary rclutch operating :means including a clutch operating lever havingiico'nnection with said push bar for moving the bar in-onei-directionwhile permitting the bar to 'movein the same direction independentlythereof under the action of said foot levena' spring connected with ;-said.-clutch. operating "lever to --move it in the direction'toishift therodto open the clutch, means for causing said.- clutchroperating. lever: to he actuatedsfrom the foot lever so as .to move :the clutch-operating lever in a direction to store energy in the spring,'holdln'g-- holding means a-for ireleasingi-said "clutch operat- A I ing; lever to the .action ofrethe'. spring'. I

1 ,4... In a -tractor, 'thefcombiiiation witha clutch including a spring and a clutch operating lever ,Jhavingia connection for ao'perating the clutch to open the same, holding means for holdingsald clutch operating lever with energy. stored in the spring, meansfOrIefiecting the release of said spring'j from 7 said holding means, draft means operatively connected with said releasing means to operate the latter when an obstruction is met by the implement pulled by the tractor, a fixed bar, an auxiliary lever adjacent said clutch operating lever and having pivotal connection with said fixed bar and projecting upwardly in front of the foot lever, said auxiliary lever being connected for imparting a sliding motion to said clutch operating lever upon the forward movement of said foot lever, whereby to restore energy in said spring and to reset said auxiliary clutch operating means.

5. In a tractor, the combination with a clutch operating means embodying a push bar or rod and a foot lever havingpivotal connection with said push bar, of a two armed lever, one arm of which has a lost motion operating connection with the push bar to operate the latter to open the clutch, a clutch operating lever pivotally connected between its ends to the other arm of said two armed lever, a spring connected to one end of the clutch operating lever to move it in a direction to cause a shifting of the push bar to open the clutch, an abutment section on one portion of the clutch operating lever, a fixed abutment with which said clutch operating lever abutment section is adapted to engage to hold the spring under tension, a second spring for holding the clutch operating lever abutment section towards said fixed abutment, an operative connection between the clutch operating lever and the foot lever, whereby the foot lever can move the clutch operating lever to store energy in the first mentioned spring, and draft means operatively connected with the clutch operating lever to shift the abutment thereon out of em gagement with the fixed abutment.

6 In a tractor, the combination with a clutch operating means having a push bar, an abutment on the push bar, a lever, a sleeve slidable on the push bar to engage the abutment and having the lever pivotally connected thereto, a spring having a connection with the lever to move the latter in one direction, means for holding said lever so as to store energy in said spring and for holding said lever with the sleeve out of engagement with said abutment and in a position in which the spring is held with the energy stored therein and draft means operatively connected to the holding means for releasing said holding means, whereby said spring due to the energy stored therein can move said lever ina manner to cause the slidable sleeve to engage the abutment on the push bar and thereby move the push bar. r

'7. In a tractor, the combination with a clutch operating means, of an auxiliary clutch operating means including a springfor shifting said clutch operating means to release the clutch when the spring is otherwise free to do so, means for holding said spring with energy stored therein so that it cannot shift said clutch operating means until released, means for effecting the release of said spring from the resisting action of said holding means, and locking means between the frame of the tractor and the auxiliary clutch operating means for rendering the latter ineffective without interfering with the operation of the clutch operating means.

' FREDERICK H. SNYDER. 

